I am a big believer that the maker/open hardware community is and will be a huge engine of innovation for the Internet of Things (IoT). Devices like, Arduino, BeagleBone and Raspberry Pi’s make it so easy to prototype and create new IoT solutions. Of course with open source software for IoT, like Eclipse IoT, the barriers to entry for IoT developers are incredibly low. Open hardware and open source software will drive IoT innovation.

Therefore, I am thrilled the Eclipse Foundation and specifically Eclipse SmartHome is involved in a design challenge announced by element14, an online community for IoT developers. Called ‘Forget Me Not’ design challenge, developers are invited to apply to build solutions for home automation. Developers will receive from element14 hardware, including a Raspberry Pi, enOcean sensors and a Tektronic oscilloscope, and are encourage to use Eclipse SmartHome for building there solutions. It seems like a great competition, so if you are interested apply to participate today.